


Healing A Frozen Heart

by Canariae



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Loki tries to be good, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, maybe smut?, pet wolf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:31:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 23,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canariae/pseuds/Canariae
Summary: Loki meets a wonderful woman in a remote town one day, to his disappointment, she isn’t a noble and she has no desire to be one. None-the-less, he finds himself enamored with her.





	1. Chapter 1

            Loki moved through the halls quietly, quickly making his way to the stables. There was a breakout of unicorn pox in a small outlining village; Loki never understood the name, it sounded a lot more pleasant than it was in reality. Normally these things were slower however one of the noble woman had been caught up in it. Odin was sending the guards and the best healers to the small remote village. Loki was being sent as well as Thor, just in case there was a riot.

            Loki’s horse was ready for him when he got there, he jumped on and headed out with haste, catching up with Thor in no time. No spoke for the entirety of the ride. Loki used the time to prepare himself for what he was about to see. From the stories he heard, it wasn’t going to be pleasant. Smoke came into his view and Thor looked at him nervously. Loki sighed and picked up speed, whether he was ready or not, this was something he needed to do.

            Loki stopped his horse, coming into the middle of the town. The happy faces gathered around the fire was not what he was expecting. No one had perished, there wasn’t any boils or sores on the people. It didn’t look like there had been any sickness at all.

            “My princes!” A voice rang out, the noble woman they had come to save was walking towards them, a smile on her face. “You came so quickly!”

            “What’s going on here, we heard there was an outbreak?” Thor asked, getting off his horse. Loki was stunned but did the same. He looked around the town quickly, no one was sick, the town was absolutely lively with the sounds of happy children.

            “There was, but an amazing healer showed up and healed everyone. I don’t know how she did it!” Loki looked around, trying to find the woman in question. He moved away from Thor and the woman talking, not interested in their pleasantries anymore. He looked around to notice a woman fleeing and he smiled, maybe he would have some fun after all.

***

            You watched the child giggle as you healed him, the magic seemed to tickle him, and he did not want to stay still. You laughed but finished the healing, giggling was a sign that he was beginning to feel better. Once it was done, he wobbled over to his overjoyed mother who thanked you profusely. You stood and looked around, that had been the last one to be healed, your work was done, and you needed to rest.

            “My princes!” you heard a woman yell and your body stiffened. You looked over and noticed both the princes were here, along with the royal guards. You needed an exit, to your right there was a large opening that would lead to the woods. You thought about it for a moment, then took off running.

            You didn’t look back, unsure if the prince had seen you leave or not. You needed to stop however, your breath was ragged, and you were tired from healing everyone. Your energy was completely zapped. You leaned against a tree, trying to catch your breath.

            “Well, what do we have here” a whispered voice in your ear. You screamed and jumped away from a laughing Loki. “Easy pet, I did not mean to scare such a lovely creature” his voice was smooth and calm.

            “I’m sorry, my prince, you frightened me” you tried to pull yourself together. You had never been close to a royal before, in fact, you quite frequently avoided it.

            “I suppose I would have, considering that you were running from me. Or were you running from Thor?” Loki asked, getting closer to you. You backed up but hit the tree you were previously leaning against.

            “N-no, of course I wasn’t” you stuttered. It was a lie and from the look on Loki’s face, he could tell it was a lie as well. He moved closer to you, standing inches away. You gulped, trying not to show how nervous you were and failing miserably.

            “You’re a terrible liar, sweetheart” he smirked. That was something you already knew, you weren’t sure why you thought you would be able to get away with that.

            “I know” you admitted, no sense denying that now. You sighed and ducked away from Loki, fed up with his little game. “What do you want, prince?”

            “Well, your tone changed quickly” he chuckled. You were more annoyed now than you were scared, you could use that to your advantage; you hoped. He sighed, trying to move closer to you again. “What I don’t understand, is why an amazing healing like yourself is not using your talents at the palace” he started. “It’s a great honor”, you scoffed.

            “What honor? Healing a bunch of nobles who know nothing of the struggles of the people they rule?” It was a rhetorical questions. “I would rather use my talents for people who really need it” you told him firmly.

            “I could take you back to Asgard myself, whether it be against your will or not” Loki threatened and you narrowed your eyes at him. You weren’t sure if he was joking or not, but there was no laughter in his voice.

            “I won’t let myself become I slave” you warned back, leaving his imagination to guess at what you may have meant. He glared at you and you glared back, your own breath and birds chirping in the distance was all you could hear.

            “Very well then” he gave me, cutting the tension instantly. You weren’t sure if you believed him or not, but allowed yourself to relax a little.

            “You’ll leave me alone?” You ask for clarification, you didn’t trust him and he looked like he knew that. He smirked at you.

            “Oh no, I plan on seeing you again, sweetheart” he chuckled. His name was being called in the distance. “Until then, be good” he warned, disappearing in a puff of green smoke. You were fucked.


	2. Chapter 2

     It took you a full day to walk back to your camp site after your interaction with the young prince. When you got there, the large wolf was pacing back and forth, obvious worried about you. When she saw you, the excitement in her eyes was evident as she came bounding over to you. It took all your strength to catch her hind legs as they rose and wrapped around your neck. 

     "Aleksia, I'm fine. I'm sorry I took so long, it was far worse than I expected" you explained as he returned to all four legs. She padded back over to the camp site, sitting down next to the fire pit as you piled the wood. A flick of your hand and the fire was going, the warmth felt nice on your cool skin. Aleksia moved over, putting her head in your lap as you absentmindedly pet her fur. It was soon putting you to sleep, so you leaned your head back against the large tree, hoping for at least a couple of hours of sleep. 

     You woke to Aleksia growling, a sure sign of trouble. You materialized a dagger in your hand and opened your eyes slightly. Three men were surrounding her, possible more that you could not see. 

     "Nice doggy, we just want to play with the girl, we won't hurt her" the larger man said, you had to fight yourself from scoffing. You heard a twig break behind you and that was all it took for both you and Aleksia to jump into action. She barred her teeth and attacked the men while you shot up and blocked yourself from however was coming at you. A man soon tried to knock you over but instead, got your dagger in his leg. He screamed in pain when you took it back out and he backed away. 

     Soon, all the men, you had counted five, were running away. You had a black eye forming but overall you were fine. Aleksia was content and unharmed, you wold have killed them if you had even heard a slight whimper. The both of you had gotten far too protective over each other, but you had to be, this was not a safe place to be alone. 

     You slumped back down on the ground, briefly wondering if you should try and get some more sleep or continue on. It was another day to the next village where some small outbreaks had occurred. Nothing too serious, that you know of, but the children were susceptible to the virus and it would be dangerous for them. 

     "Might as well keep walking" you told the wolf as you reluctantly got up from the ground. Aleksia fell in line with you as you both began to walk, looking for food and water along the way. 

***

     You were close to the village now and it was getting dark again. You decided to head straight into the village to see where you were needed. This time, the wolf was coming with you, she was well known in these parts and the children were no longer scared of her. 

      "(Y/N)! You've come to visit again!" A child rang out. There was so many that you had a hard time remembering names, but you were always excited to see them happy and healthy. 

     "Of course! You can't keep me away too long" you exclaimed as you gathered the child in your arms, hugging him. "I have to get to work now though, why don't you play with Aleksia?" You ask as you place him back on the ground. The wolf began to wag her tail, excitedly jumping from one side of the child to the other, making him giggle. Soon they were running off together to find others to play and you were off to find the leader of the small village. 

     "(Y/N), you have no idea how happy I am to see you. We are in desperate need of a healer" the familiar voice caused you to turn around. "Oh my, what happened to your eye?" He asked. The man, Håkon, was tall, but skinny. He was a good leader, he made sure his people ate before he did, even if it make him look sickly at times. 

     "Oh, just a little scuffle. Nothing I couldn't handle sir" you laughed, trying to ease the tension. He didn't laugh though. 

     "You know I don't like the thought of you being out there on your own. Stay here" he tried but he could tell you were going to argue. "At least for a day, I'm sure your wolf needs the rest too" he smiled, that always got you. 

     "Fine, one day" you stressed the 'one' part. "Now, lead me to my patients".

***

     You leaned over a few men as Håkon told you what happened. The village was raided a few days ago, by no more than five men. These men took the brute of the battle and were now suffering from fevers and infection. You did not tell Håkon that you were sure you met those same five men, instead, you got to work. 

     A commotion outside got both your and Håkon's attention. People seemed to be in shock, it didn't sound like another raid, but you could sense the panic in people's voices anyway. Before either of you were able to check it out, a large and dark figure came into the hut. 

     "Pri-Prince Loki" Håkon stuttered and you curse, choosing to focus on your healing instead of the prince. You could see the tall leader bow his head and Loki nod, but his eyes were fixed on you when you looked away. "We have sent all the extra food, we have no more to spare", he started, there was only one reason why royalty ever visited these remote areas, because they wanted something. 

     "I am not here for anything in your village, I am here to speak with your healer" Loki reassured him. You rolled your eyes; how did you get yourself into this mess again?

     "If you can't already tell, I'm busy" you told, a faint white glow coming from your hand as you worked to heal the man's abdomen. The large gash was almost closed, the infection completely gone. 

     "I can wait, it seems that you are almost done anyway" he told you. It was true, this was the last man who needed your help. You almost didn't want to finish healing him, but it was wrong of you to think that, just to spare yourself more uncomfortable conversations with the prince. 

     You sighed and finished, smiling at the man as he thanked you. You let him up and guided him out of the hut, leaving just the three of you. Håkon was reluctant to leave you alone, and you knew why, no one trusted royalty in these parts. 

     "We can have a large feast to celebrate your visit, Prince Loki" Håkon started. It was customary to do so, especially when it was a prince. 

     "No, Håkon, you don't have the food to spare. You barely have enough to get through winter, there will be no feast" you told him, narrowing your eyes at Loki, almost daring him to contradict you. 

     "There is no need, I will not be here very long" Loki agreed and you could see the relief in the leader's eyes. "Walk with me?" Loki asked, arm outstretched for yours. You rolled your eyes and didn't take it, instead walking out of the cabin with Loki in toe. The village looked hard at work, trying not to eavesdrop on the conversation. 

     "How did you find me?" You asked him, you had hoped to never see him again, although he did say he would be back. 

     "Your healing magic, its easily traceable" he admitted. Lovely, now every time you used your healing powers, he could find you. You wondered if it was too late to change careers, maybe you could own a farm? No, that wouldn't work, it looked like you were stuck. "You seem less frightened of me than you did in our first encounter" he observed. 

     "If you were going to force me to Asgard or into anything indecorous, you would have done so already" you told him. Truth was, you were simply annoyed by his presence at this point. He nodded along, accepting that answer however. 

     "What happened to your eye?" He stopped, forcing you to stop as well and look at him. He brushed your hair back to get a better look at it. 

     "Some brutish men thought they could take advantage of a woman" you started and he looked worried, why, you weren't sure. "Don’t worry, they are a lot worse off, if not dead from infection by now" you told him and he nodded. You kept walking and soon came upon your wolf playing in the field with the children. 

     "Are those children playing with a wild animal?" Loki asked, clearly taken back by the scene in front of him. You had to laugh. 

     "She won't hurt them" you told him. Aleksia looked up and noticed you, growling at the unknown man beside you. She moved her way through the children slowly, ensuring that they stayed behind, then raced towards Loki. You got in front of Loki quickly, stopping the wolf in her tracks. "It's okay girl, he is no danger, yet". 

     "She's yours?" Loki asked and you nodded. Petting her and kissing the top of her head, she wagged her tail and licked your cheek, causing a giggle to come from you. You thought you heard Loki mutter something about being crazy, but you ignored it. "I should go" he said suddenly, you looked up confused, but before you could ask why, he was gone. Somehow, you didn't doubt that you would be seeing him again.


	3. Chapter 3

     “(Y/N), come out here quick!” You heard Håkon yell for you. You stumbled your way out of your makeshift bed and out the front door. You weren’t sure if you were being attacked or not, but Aleksia was not with you. Gripping your dagger, you looked around frantically for the attacker, but all you seen was a large wagon full of food. 

     “What’s going on?” You asked, your brain finally waking up. Aleksia was wagging her tail in front of the wagon and Håkon looked like he was crying. “Where did all the food come from?”

     “I’m not sure, the note on top was addressed to you” Håkon told you, passing you an envelope that indeed had your name on it. You opened it carefully, unsure of what to expect. 

‘ _Dearest (Y/N),_

_I hope this letter finds its way to you. I remember you mentioned that the village did not have enough food to get through the winter, so I thought I would help. Everything in free of charge, tell the leader not to worry about repayment._

_Hope to see you soon,_

_Loki’_

     Had Loki just done something nice, for someone else? You have never heard of any of the noblemen or woman doing something this nice without expecting something in return, especially one of the crowned princes. You gawked at the letter, reading it over a few times before looking up at Håkon who was patiently waiting. 

     “The food is for the village, from Loki” you told him, still not quite believing it yourself. He began to worry about this and you knew why, there was no way a tiny village like this could repay that dept. “He says not to worry about repayment, he simply wanted to help” you added. 

     “That Prince sure is a strange one. I have heard so many terrible things about him, it’s hard to believe he would help us” Håkon was right, he was not called the dark prince for no reason. 

     “Here, keep the letter just in case” you told him, handing it over. He nodded gratefully, folding it up into a pocket before calling some men over to help unload it. 

     “Well, since I am up, Aleksia and I should be off. There are a few small houses on the outskirts of this town that may need our help” You smiled, Håkon always hated it when you left. 

      “At least take a bit of the food, we have more than enough now” he pleaded. You paused for a moment, you didn’t want to take anything from the villagers, but your stomach grumbled and seemed to have decided for you. “Here” Håkon laughed, handing you a few of the smaller fruits. You packed them in the pouch at your hip. 

     “Thank you Håkon, don’t worry about us, we’ll be back before you know it” you smiled at it, which he returned but sadly. It was time to be off now, you couldn’t dwell in one place too long, people needed you. 

***

     You had come upon a few houses, offering your services, however everyone seemed fine this time. Most of them remembered you, offered you food but you declined, telling them you must be on your way again. You stopped by a river, about an hour away from the last house you stopped at. Aleksia was the first to jump in, lapping at the water as she swam. You laughed and used your magic to let the clothes fall from you; setting the pouch of food aside. 

     The river was cold but refreshing. The fresh water felt good on your skin and down your throat. You let yourself relax for a while, keeping your worries at bay, even if it was only for a little while. 

     "What do you think girl, should we set up camp here?" You asked, Aleksia barely even looked at you, she was too content on her own, playing with a twig she found. "I will take that as a yes then". You used your magic to make up new clothes, it was something you had learned to do when you were quite young and it came in handy when you didn't actually have a house to keep things in. You could also materialize food, making sure neither you nor Aleksia went hungry, but it was hard and took a lot of energy. You only did so if it was the last resort. 

     You conjured a simply, light green dress, with a large pouch on the side for food and high boots. You sat down and conjured a fire as the sun was going down. Aleksia was off hunting, she never went too far, ensuring that you would hear her if she called out for you. Taking from of the fruit from your pouch, you settled in for your own supper. 

     "Please tell me you don’t live here" Loki's disgusted voice made you jump, almost ready to attack your intruder. 

     "You can't just scare people like that, announce yourself!" You told him, hoping to get your heart rate back under control quickly. "I thought you could only track my healing magic" you told him, you had hoped you wouldn't see him again until then. 

     "I said you healing magic was easy to track, I didn't say it was the only way I could find you" he smirked down at you. "And you didn't answer my question" he added. 

     "No, I don't live here. I don't have a home, I simply make camp for the night" you told him. He pushed a few leaves with his foot as he nodded. He looked disgusted by the ground underneath his feet. He huffed and then waved his hands, creating a nice white bench before he sat down. 

     "Join me" he sat tapping the wood on the empty area next to him. He waved his hand again, adding a few cushions to the bench to make it more comfortable. You rolled your eyes and pulled yourself up from the ground. 

     "You could have simply sat on the ground, it wouldn't have hurt you" you told him, a little annoyed. 

     "It was dirty" he simply stated. You shook your head and decided just to watch the water, the same thing you had been doing before he came. His presence was hard to ignore however. 

     "Why are you here Loki?" You asked, playing with the food in your hands. It was meant for eating, but your appetite was no longer there. He took a deep breath, not looking at your but at the water as well. 

     "I find your interesting, (Y/N)" he answered. You weren't sure if that was a valid answer or not, you also didn't know how to feel about it. Instead of answering him, you simply let it go, you were going to have to think about that one. "Where's the wolf?" He asked. 

     "She's off hunting for her supper, she will be back before I go to sleep" you told him and he nodded. He seemingly relaxed a little bit now that he knew an angry wolf wasn't going to come out of nowhere at him. 

     "Is that your supper?" He asked, pointing to the fruit in your hand. You had been picking at it for a while now, and it no longer looked like a valid option for your supper, but you didn't throw food away. 

     "Yes, it is. Oh, I meant to thank you" you started, he looked up at you confused. "For what you did for Håkon and the village, they will be able to survive winter because of you" you smiled. He nodded his head again, thinking for a moment. 

     "If I'm being honest, I did it for you. I thought you lived in that village and I wanted to make sure you didn't starve" he chuckled a little. 

     "Oh" you started, you weren't sure what to say to that. "Well I appreciate the gesture; besides, they need it more than I do" you told him. He scoffed and waved his hands again. You weren't sure what to expect but falling on your ass off the bench and onto a blanket was definitely a surprise. " A little warning next time would be nice" you grumbled. 

     You looked around to see he had now set up a picnic, he sat down next to you on the blanket and materialized a glass of wine, handing it over to you. The rest of the blanket was filled with all sort of food, some you recognized like fruits and vegetables, others were completely foreign to you. 

     "Eat whatever you wish" he smiled broadly. You sat there shocked for a moment, but you were no longer hungry. 

     "No, I can't accept this" you told him, handing him back the wine glass and moving to get up. He followed suit, grabbing your arm before you could get too far. 

     "I did all this for you, to make you happy" he growled. You sighed, pulling your arm away from his grip. 

     "I'm am happy Loki, I don’t need all this stuff; Aleksia and I get by just fine" you told him, you could tell he was gearing to interrupt again. "Loki, people are starving in Asgard; hell, your own palace slaves barely get enough to eat. I don’t want any of this" you told him firmly. His mouth set into a thin line and he glared at you. 

     "Fine" he huffed, and just like that everything was gone and you were alone once more. You sighed, it probably wasn't the best idea to anger a Prince of Asgard, but it was already done and you couldn't take it back. You sighed, sitting back down at the tree and putting your head in your hands. A wet nose began lifting your hand and you giggled as Aleksia curled up with you. You pet her head absentmindedly. 

     "Oh girl, what have I gotten myself into this time". 


	4. Chapter 4

     Loki walked around the castle, after his outburst at you, he needed to clear his head. You were beginning to get to him and he wasn't sure why. Sure, you were pretty, but there was pretty woman all around the castle and he could have any one of them. You seemed smart, but again, there were still smart women around the palace. 

     Your attitude and arrogance towards him had been new, maybe that's what it was? You didn't fall at his feet, flirting and didn't really seem to care that he was a prince. In fact, you had a sort of disdain for the crown all together. He wondered why, surely it wasn't something as simple as the food crisis. People had lots of food, if they didn't, why wouldn't they ask the palace for help?

     He shook his head, he had to stop thinking about you. You obviously didn't want anything to do with him. He could find other ways to entertain himself around the castle, he did before after all. 

     "Brother! Where have you been all evening?" Thor's voice caused him to stop in his tracks, this wasn't the distraction he was hoping for. 

     "I was out for a walk, I am just getting back", Loki lied, it came all too naturally to him and Thor never questioned it. 

     "Well I hope you enjoyed it. Come and have a drink with me and the warriors!" Thor commanded. Loki rolled his eyes but followed his brother, it wasn't the diversion he wanted, but it would still do the trick. 

     Entering the room, he seen Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg sitting around in chairs. A few were empty and three women were in the middle, very thinly dressed and dancing to a soft melody. Maybe this would be exactly what he needed after all. 

     The women noticed the two princes enter and their gazes shifted, paying the princes more attention than the warriors. Loki sat down and smiled, watching the women dance in front of him, but he couldn't keep his mind from going back to his earlier conversation. The girls were thin, not an athletic thin, more like they've missed a few meals thin. Had you been right? Were the people of Asgard starving outside of the palace?

     Loki's smile diminished. If something as obvious as starvation managed to go unnoticed by him, how much else had he missed? Why was Odin letting this continue? His mind was plagued with these thoughts and was no longer entertained with the dancing in front of him, unlike his brother and his friends. But he stayed, if he left now, they would be suspicious and follow him. 

     So he drank, less than the rest of his party, but enough to dull his mind. He tried to pay no mind when Thor or one of the warriors would grab one of the women, sitting them on their laps. He would try to ignore the scared look in their faces as they tried to navigate what they were to do. He also tried not to cringe when one of the warriors would say something cruel, earning a laugh from the others. None of this had bothered him before, but now it seemed to be all he could fixate on. Soon, it was the middle of the night; and Loki had enough of this. 

     He got up from his chair, offering to bring everyone the next round of drinks. He got the cups, poured the liquid, and unbeknownst to the others, spiked it with a sleeping potion. There was only so much of this behavior he found himself able to take; and it was making him think back to all the other times he treated people in a similar manner. It was driving him mad. 

     The boys took their drinks, not knowing that Loki had tampered with them. It didn't take long for those drinks to be gone and new ones were filling their glasses. Within a few moments, they all passed out, one right after the other. Now the women were focused on him, but he could only think about one woman that he wanted to see. 

     "Would you like us to entertain you, my prince?" The redhead asked timidly. He had almost forgotten they were still there, his mind kept returning to thoughts of you. 

     "No, thank you my lady. But please, enjoy yourselves" he waved his arm and conjured a banquet of food. They looked at him wearily but they were already forgotten by the prince as he went to the window. Maybe you would still be awake. 

***

     You tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable but it was no use tonight. Aleksia didn't stir even once, use to your restless nights every now and again. She would only move if danger had arisen. You sighed, you felt bad for your outburst at Loki, but you weren't sure why. He was a prince after all, a pampered, spoiled prince. But still, you wanted to apologize to him. 

     Sitting up, you decided to give up on sleep. You walked over to the water's edge, splashed some on your face before sitting on a rock and dangling your feet in. You looked up at the night sky, it was beautiful and a good way to take your mind off of your worries. 

     "Damn creature, get off me!" You heard Loki's voice yell and a growl coming from Aleksia. You hadn't even realized she got up. You turned around to see her standing on top of Loki, his paws on his chest to keep him down and teeth bared in warning. 

     "Aleksia, you can let him go" you called out. She looked up to you, almost as if she was questioning your order but then got off the prince. She took one last look at him before settling back down and going back to sleep. 

     "Can't you put her on a chain" Loki grumbled, dusting himself off as he made his over to you. He sat down next to you, avoiding the water. 

     "That would be cruel, plus she's a good ally to have" you told him. There was more than one occasion that you saved each other's lives. You honestly didn't know what you would do without her and hoped you'd never have to find out. 

     "She's a wild animal" Loki grumbled again. You rolled your eyes, all thoughts of apologizing to him gone again. 

     "What are you doing here, Loki?" You asked, there was no reason for him to visit you again, especially with how you left things. He took a deep breath, starring into the water instead of looking at you. 

     "I came to apologize" he whispered so low that you almost couldn't hear him. You weren't sure how to react, of all the stories and you're experiences with the dark prince, this experience never once came up. 

     "Why?" Was the first thing that came out of your mouth. You wanted to slap yourself, that's not what you're supposed to say when someone apologizes. 

     "Because I think you may be right. For all the time I spent in the palace around slaves and commoners, I never really noticed any of them. I have no idea what's actually happening in Asgard. I don't know anything of the troubles of common folk, just what I am told by the council and they are all a bunch of rich old men" Loki confessed and you smiled. 

     "At least you realize it now, it's never too late to start helping" you told him sincerely, hoping this Loki would stick around, instead of the arrogant prince you had come to expect. 

     "Will you help me? You don't have to come back to the palace, I swear. Maybe I could just come with you to see villages and you could tell me about your own life" Loki asked, nervously fiddling with his hands. You smiled at him, placing your hand on top of his to stop the nervous twitching. 

     "Of course I will help you Loki". 


	5. Chapter 5

     Loki sighed, getting up out of his bed. He turned to look at the messed-up sheets. You had told him that he should start taking care of himself and his own affairs, but he honestly had no idea where to start. He smoothed out of the sheets and fluffed his pillows, but it still didn’t look the same as when the maids did it. He huffed, he would come back to that later. For now, he needed to find something to wear.

     He moved to his closet as the door opened, his maid Gertrude, coming in. He was a lovely young thing, always a smiling face.

     “Oh, hello my prince, I did not expect you to be up already. Shall we get you dressed?” She asked. Loki never took much notice to her before. She always smiled at him, but now that he looked at her, her smile was sad. Her cheeks were a little sunk in and she was far tinnier than she should have been for her frame.

     “No, thank you. I think I shall dress myself this morning” Loki began. Thankfully, he sounded a lot more confident than he felt. She looked at him confused and he realised she had probably never heard those words in her life. He waved his hand and a large breakfast was laid out on his table. “Why don’t you eat something?” Her eyes widened, and her speech stammered.

     “I couldn’t possibly- sir, servants are to eat only at the end of the day” she managed to get out, but Loki waved off her concerns.

     “Nonsense, it would please me for you to help yourself, you look like you need the sustenance” he told her. She looked at though she wasn’t sure what to do. If she ate something, it would be against everything she was taught, however, displeasing one of the princes came with a hefty penalty. Eventually, she grabbed a fruit and gently placed it in her mouth, waiting for a bit before she began to chew.

     “See, that wasn’t so hard!” He told her brightly. Now, he just had to find what to wear. He looked at his clothes, but he had never been so confused by attire in his whole life. The maid was finally eating, and he didn’t want to force her to leave, but he definitely needed some help.

     “Aren’t you getting dressed for the day?” Gertrude asked. He took some clothes out and laid them on the bed.

     “Yes, of course, I am simply taking my time” he tried. The maid said nothing for a little while, but she kept eating. Soon, she pushed the plate away.

     “If you are no longer in need of my services, I shall be off” the maid bowed, and he nodded his head, waiting to hear the door close. He managed to put on his trousers, but he was unaware of how they buckled.

     “Oh screw it”

***

     “Stop moving sweetheart, you need to sit still for the healer” the mother’s voice was sweet and smoothing to the infant. You were patient though and waited until the toddler calmed down enough for you to finish the healing.

     “There, all done!” You said excitedly, poking the small toddler on the noise and laughed when she giggled uncontrollably.

     “Are you sure?” The father asked, worry evident on his face. The mother looked equally as worried. They had travel very far to find you a few towns over.

     “Yes, there is nothing to worry about now, she will grow up happy and healthy” you reassured them. The look of relief on their faces was why you did this; their happiness was all you needed to keep going. You waved them off and headed back on your way, Aleskia bounding up next to you.

     The trees were large in this part of the world. You enjoyed the smell of them and the fresh air was the wind whipped your hair around. The woods were silent, barely even a bird chirping this afternoon. Aleksia seemed to also be in a good mood, her tail wagging and playing with anything she could get her teeth around.

     “I need your assistance” Loki’s voice surprised you. You jumped and turned around to see a barely dressed Loki. His muscles almost made you gasp, but you kept it in and moved your eyes back up to his face.

     “With what, exactly?” You tried not to laugh as you realised he was holding up his trousers because they were not buckled.

     “I apparently do not know how to dress myself, I have always had maids to do this for me” he explained, and you laughed this time, not bothering to try and keep it in. Loki looked annoyed at you, but you couldn’t help it.

     “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but you can use magic to get dress you know” you told him. Aleksia circled him a little, but no teeth were bared this time.

     “You told me to do things for myself” he balked. You rolled your eyes, walking up to him. You grabbed his hand and moved it away, buckling his trousers for him.

     “I meant, don’t let the maids do these things for you, but you can still use your magic to your advantage. I do it all the time” you told him, trying to get him to understand. All he did was make an ‘oh’ sound. He clicked his fingers and he was dressed in front of you.

     “Well, that was a lot easier” he smiles. You stepped away from his a little, letting Aleksia smell him. “Hi, little wolf” he spoke to her and pet her. You were surprised that she let him, but you smiled none the less.

     “I think she’s warming up to you Prince” you tell him.

     “I’m glad, it would not be nice if I feared for my life every time I came to visit you” he responds, and you laugh.

     “No that would be bad” you agreed. You continued to walk, and Loki fell in line with you. Aleksia bounded up ahead of you, looking around for threats as she went.

     “So, where are you heading to this time?” He asked, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked with you.

     “Rangarvellir, there was an outbreak of some sort and they need a healer” you tell him. He nods along.

     “I don’t believe the palace has heard about this outbreak, are you sure it’s a real threat?” He asked. You narrowed your eyes at him, ready to fight him on this but then sighed. He was trying and that would take time.

     “Of course, the palace has no clue, its far out of reach with maybe only 200 inhabitants. The palace would never concern themselves over such a small village unless it benefited them” you told him. He didn’t want to admit it, but you had been right about everything else.

     “That is truly awful, all those people could die” he whispered. He had never really thought about the implications of it before. You nodded your head, you wanted to make him feel better but at the same time, this was something he needed to hear. “I fear this has gone on too long while I remained ignorant of their suffering” Loki condemned himself. You stopped walking and grabbed his hand.

     “There is no sense wallowing in what could have been done, all you can do if try to fix it now” you told him firmly. He sighed and took a deep breath.

     “Yes, as always, you seem to be correct. I must be off, there is a council meeting that needs my attention. I hope to see you soon” Loki smiled and you did too before turning around and waving him off.

     “Pop in whenever!”


	6. Chapter 6

     You had reached the town of Rangarvellir far later than you had hoped. It was the middle of the night and you wanted to get started right away. You found the quarantined hall immediately, guards were sitting outside the door. You recognized one of them immediately and you smiled. 

     "Makon?" You asked, smiling broadly. The guard looked down at your and erupted into a hearty laugh as he picked you up off the ground. 

     "(Y/N)! We were not expecting you till morning!" He told you and he swung you around. You squeaked as you tried to keep hold of him. 

     "Yes, well I heard it was quite a bad outbreak, I wanted to get here as soon as I could. May I go in?" You asked as soon as he had set you down. Makon's smile vanished almost instantly. 

     "You may, however, I must warn you that it is not a pretty sight" he spoke cautiously and you nodded. You couldn't imagine this would be the worst that you had seen, but it didn't make it any easier. You just hoped that you were in time to save everything. You walked up the steps and placed your hand on the door knob. 

     "Stay out here, it will be safer so you not to come in contact with the infected. As soon as they are healed, I will send them out" you instructed Makon on the other guard who nodded. They knew the procedure by now and Aleksia knew to wait outside as well, if there were any threats, she would bark three times. 

     You took a deep breath of fresh air and headed in. The smell wasn't even the worst of it. It was all the eyes looking up at you, those who could anyway, waiting to be healed. You tried your best to pick out the worst, the ones who wouldn't survive the night as well as the children and got to work. It was going to be a long night. 

     As you began healing them, you would send them out. You could hear Makon ask if you needed anything from outside of the door, each time you would say no. You sent a few children out after healing them, and you heard the chief of the village speaking with Makon. He asked how long you had been in there and how many had been sent out. You were nearing the halfway point and you could see the sun peak through every time the door was opened. 

     You longed to be in the sun, in the fresh air, but these people needed your help. You smiled at an older gentleman as you came to him. He said nothing, he didn't even seem to be awake, but he was breathing. Healing him didn't take too long and you healed a bad heart along with it. He awoke once he was healed, thanked you and headed out. 

     Now there was only one more gentleman left, a man you knew from previous outbreaks at this location. 

     "It seems you are always healing me" he joked. He had been last to be healed on his own accord, insisting that you heal the others before him. He was sweet and kind and you enjoyed his company, so you didn't mind. 

     "It's what I am here for" you smiled as you got to work. There was a bit of an argument on the other side of the door, but you couldn't hear what it was about. 

     "It seems that someone is not happy" the man told you and you nodded, curious as to what it was about. 

     "All done" you smiled happily, letting the man thank you before he left. You sighed and looked around, the hall was a mess and you wondered how they were going to clean it. Might be easier to simply burn it. You took a deep breath and concentrated, you were getting tired but you couldn't leave this mess for the town to clean up. Your magic washed over the hall, cleaning and disinfected every surface. 

     You smiled happily when it was done and tried to walk out but your knees buckled and you fell to the floor with a large 'thump'. You cursed as you heard the door being thrown opened and footsteps hastily made their way to you. 

     "Stubborn healer" you heard Loki growl and you chuckled as he turned you over in his arms. You could see his worried glance as he checked you over. Makon and Aleksia stood around you as well, watching intently. 

     "I'm fine, just tired" you told the prince, trying to get out of his grasp. He wasn't letting you and you could only fight so much. 

     "You need to rest, you used too much magic for far too long" he told you. He picked you up as he got to his feet. Aleksia did nothing, you had expected her to growl, but she simply stayed by Loki's side and kept an eye on you. 

     "I need to wash" you complained. You managed to save everyone but still smelt like death and it bothered you. Loki carried you outside and into the light. The people you had healed were gathered around, worried glances all coming your way. 

     "Do you have an inn we can use?" Loki asked the Chief. The man looked at your worriedly, unsure of what to do. You were sure the chief had never seen either prince before, or even a nobleman. 

     "No, I do not want to inconvenience anyone. There is a river not too far from here, just let me go and I will wash there" you told Loki, again, trying to wiggle out of his arms. 

     "Stop moving" he commanded. You didn't listen however so he tightened his grip on you. Sighing, there was no way to fight him on this, not in your state. 

     "You can come to my house, I owe her my life, it's the least I can do" Makon told Prince Loki before the chief could answer. Loki nodded his head and followed him, Aleksia by his side. You began to drift in and out of sleep, only becoming aware of your surroundings again when you were being dipped into water. 

     Instinctively, you woke up, frightened. Once you realized you were in a bath, you calmed for a moment until you realized it was Loki that was lowering you in and you were naked. You rushed to cover yourself. 

     "Relax little healer, it's nothing I haven't seen before" he laughed and you rolled your eyes, becoming slightly less embarrassed. 

     "I think I can take it from here" you told him. You tried to sit up but found you had no strength to do so. 

     "If I leave you in here alone, I am afraid you may drown" he told you. You looked down at the water, a blush of embarrassment covering your cheeks. "Let me take care of you" he asked and you nodded, accepting the help. 

     "Just this once" you added and he laughed. He poured water over your hair, letting the dirt come out. The water was warm and you found yourself enjoying the feeling of his hands running through your hair. 

     "What were you thinking, using that much magic so quickly? It could have killed you", he wanted to yell at you, you could tell he was angry, but he seemed to be holding it back. 

     "If I didn't, they were going to die" you explained, it was easy enough reasoning. It wasn't in your nature to let someone die, not if you could help them. 

     "I just met you, you can't die now" Loki whispered. You smiled, but you weren't sure what to say; Loki didn't seem to know either so he switched subjects. "You and Makon seem close, is he a lover, perhaps?" Loki asked cautiously. You laughed, you couldn't help it. 

     "No, gods no" you told Loki. "We are friends, I happened upon him a few years ago. He had been badly injured protecting his village so I healed him" you told Loki, who seemed relieved, you smirked. "Are you jealous, my prince?" You were joking, but Loki then stuttered his response. 

     "Of course not, I was merely curious" he looked away from you. You were no longer laughing, was he being serious?

     "Loki" you called out but he cleared his throat and got up. He lifted you out of the tub before you could say anything. He set you on your own feet, waiting a moment to see if you could stand on your own. A green mist covered you, drying you off and dressing in a floor length green dress and a golden pouch on your side. It was much like your other dress but different colors. 

     "You look good in my colors" Loki smirked and you rolled your eyes. He leaned in close, hands behind his back as his breath tickled your ear. "Although, you do look marvelous with nothing on as well". 


	7. Chapter 7

     Makon regarded the prince carefully as he laid your unconscious body down on the bed. Loki was gentle, making sure you were comfortable and getting the hair out of your hair. His hands rested a little too long on your cheek as he looks longingly at you. Makon cleared his throat, bringing the prince back to reality. 

     "I can make you something to eat; although I have to say there isn't much. Definitely nothing befitting of a prince, we don't get those visits too often" Makon spoke quickly, unsure of what to do. Loki turned and left you in the room, following Makon into what he assumes was the main living area. 

     "Don't worry about it" Loki told him. He waved his hand in the direction of the table and set out a large feast. He did the same on the ground, next to Aleksia who had been waiting for him. She didn't budge at the sight of magic, but when it turned into a juicy steak, she got up. "Eat to your hearts content" he told the two as he sat down in a chair. 

     "Are you not hungry, my prince?" Makon asked. Loki sighed as he picked up some food, he supposed that he should eat as well. Makon didn't let that go unnoticed. "She will be fine, my prince, she always is" he tried to reassure. 

     "Please, you can drop the formalities and call me Loki" he asked. "So, you are a friend of (Y/N)?" Loki asked watching as the man sat down in front of him. Loki had to admit, he was slightly jealous. Loki didn't get jealous though, it wasn't in his nature, what was this woman doing to him?

     Makon was tall and well built, reminding Loki of his brother. Although while Thor was pale with blonde hair; Makon had a bronze skin tone and almost jet-black hair. 

     "Yes, she saved my life as I am sure she told you. I try to help her whenever I can, but she is stubborn" Makon told him and Loki smiled, stubborn you were. "I am quite surprised to see her hanging around a crowned Prince of Asgard though" Makon let it slip, he hadn't wanted to mention anything but Loki already seemed in deep thought. 

     "Yes, she does seem to have a distaste for the crown. Why is that?" Loki asked. He had thought about asking you many times, but something always seemed to get in the way of it. Makon got visible uncomfortable and shifted in his seat, foot still in hand. 

     "I don’t think that is my story to tell, you should ask her about it", well Loki didn't think that could be good. He wondered what it was, but he would have to wait until you were feeling better. Loki put down his food and got up. 

     "If you don’t mind, I think I will watch over (Y/N), make sure she is okay" Loki didn't wait around for an answer, he simply went into the other room. He left the door opened so Aleksia could still see you, he did not want to anger the wolf. 

***

     Your eyes flutter open, you weren't even sure when you had fallen asleep. You were in a bed though, that much was certain. You looked around the room to see Loki sleeping, rather uncomfortably looking, in a chair beside the bed. You smile and wonder if he had been there the whole time. 

     The bed creaked underneath you and you cringed, you hadn't wanted to wake the prince up. It seems as though he was on edge, because his eyes shot opened and he frantically looked around the room before his eyes fell on you. His frown turned into a smile to mirror your own. 

     "You stayed" you commented. He laughed and moved over to the bed, sitting next to you as you managed to sit up. 

     "I was worried about you, that was a lot of magic you used" he told you. You nodded, you knew better but it seems that you couldn't help yourself. 

     "Won't your family be wondering where you are?" You asked Loki. You weren't sure how long he stayed with you, but it looked as if the sun was just coming up. The window was small, but you could see the light coming up over the horizon. 

     "I'm sure they have not even noticed my absence" Loki reassured you. Somehow you doubted that, he was a prince after all, but he didn't seem worried. You nodded your head, but your expression must had given away you're worry. "You are more important than silly palace politics, I missed nothing important, I assure you" he said, grabbing your hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

     "If you say so" you sighed. You looked around the room again, it was tiny, but more than you were used to. You hoped Makon hadn't given up his room for you, he needed his sleep as well. "Where's Makon and Aleksia?" You asked, missing the familiar face of your friends. 

     "They are just outside so Aleksia can stretch her legs, I think she was getting a little anxious to be in the wild again" Loki told you and you smiled. She did not like the indoors, and you couldn't blame her when the forest was so beautiful. 

     "Yes, that sounds like her" you agreed. You got up off the bed and stretched, hearing a few cracks as you did so. It felt good to get up. "Are you sticking around for a while?" You asked Loki, turning to him as he got up as well. 

     "I think so, I will not be needed for any council meetings until after breakfast" Loki smiled at the thought that you wanted him to stick around. 

     "Good, why don't we go enjoy the morning" you told him, grabbing his hand and bringing him outside. Aleksia was soon seen playing around with the early risers. Getting children out of bed and running around with him. You shook your head, but at least they were having fun. 

     Makon was talking to the chief you noticed and ran over when he noticed that you were out of bed. He grabbed you in a tight hug and spun you around while you giggled. Neither of them noticing the glare they were receiving from the prince. 

     "My prince, the chief would like to know if there is anything they can do for you? A feast perhaps or a ball?" Makon asked, setting you down. Loki grabbed your hand once more and you looked down sheepishly, trying not to blush. 

     "No, (Y/N) tells me that these small towns often don't have the resources for such things. Instead, I plan to thank everything here for their hospitality" Loki announced, loud enough that everyone within ear shot could hear, especially the chief. Loki let go of your hand and raised both up, creating long wooden tables along the main road of the village. Chair formed around the table as food began to pile up. 

     "This is too much, Loki" you whispered, worried that he had used too much magic. He simply smiled down at you and added another table with food spilling off of it. A lot were fruits and vegetables that would be able to be stored in the coming weeks. The rest was cooked meat, vegetables and deserts. 

     "Wake up the village and let everyone enjoy, no one should go hungry today" Loki announced. He turned to you as the villagers starred in awe at the food. "I hope this is okay" he asked you. You jumped into his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck and giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing a blush to form on his pale face.

     "This is amazing Loki, thank you" you whispered before pulling away. You starred at him for a moment, eyes flickering down to his lips. For a brief moment you wondered what it would be like to kiss him. You cleared your throat and shook the thought out of your head, he was prince, he wouldn't be interesting in a commoner like you. You smiled up at him, hiding your insecurities behind a well-built mask. 

     "Well, let's go enjoy the feast, my prince". 


	8. Chapter 8

     Loki whipped around when he heard his door open. Gertrude smiled walked in, he got the sense she was beginning to enjoy their mornings together. She was beginning to gain a bit of weight, although she was still quite tiny. Her hair and complexion looked much better since Loki started having breakfast with her in the mornings, he was happy that she looked healthier. 

     "Right on schedule" Loki smiled. She bowed, a habit he was unable to break her of, so he had stopped trying. "I have a favor to ask of you Gertrude", she looked at him perplexed. 

     "I am here to serve you, my prince" she responded and Loki waved that response off. 

     "I only want you to come if it's okay with you" he reiterated. "I wish to find a present for a friend of mine but I fear I may need a lady's opinion. Do you care to join in for a morning in the markets?" He asked. 

     "Of course, my prince" she smiled and Loki clapped his hands together. HIs magic brought them to the entrance of the market. It was full of people this morning, he hoped this would allow him to blend in more. "What exactly did you have in mind, my prince?" 

     "I haven't the slightest clue" he told her with a smile on his face. Gertrude wasn't use to seeing the prince in such good moods. Although he had been a new prince altogether for the last few weeks, she wondered if this new friend of his had anything to do with it. 

     "Is your friend a woman or a man?" She asked, she had to get some idea of where to start. She noticed the people giving them strange looks. Although it wasn't uncommon for the maids to go out shopping, it was uncommon for the nobility they worked for to accompany them. 

     "She is a lovely woman" he answered. Gertrude smiled, maybe love is what had been changing the prince lately. Although, she hadn't heard about the princes courting anyone, usually a princess being around was fairly big news. "Maybe we should start with jewelry then" she offered and he nodded. They headed to a stall that sold different types of jewelry, rings and necklaces seemed to be the most popular. 

     "Your majesty, what may I help you with?" The man in the stall asked after he bowed. Loki smiled at the older gentlemen. 

     "I am looking for a gift for a friend of mine" he told them. The man seemed to get excited at this and began showing him the most expensive jewelry he had but Loki kept turning them all down. 

     "These are fit for a princess" the man said as he showed Loki a set of emerald earrings. He just couldn't see you having any use for them. 

     "Thank you, I will have to think it over" Loki said. Gertrude followed him as he looked through the stalls, trying to find anything that popped out to him. He spotted a stall that sold merchant bags and one happened to catch his eyes. It was a dark green and he thought it would work better than just the pouch you had in your dress. 

     Loki made a beeline for the stall, leaving Gertrude to follow him in confusion. The lady selling the bags was taken back by the prince, her wares were usually only sold to merchants and travelers. 

     "I'm sorry my prince, but these are not suitable for royalty such as yourself" she tried but Loki smiled. 

     "Nonsense, this is just the gift I was looking for" he gave her the money, and then some when he noticed a large rope ball. "Oh, I will take this too. Do you think a wolf would play with this?" He asked, but no one replied while they tried to piece together what he said. "Oh, I guess we will find out". 

***

     It had been a few days since you last seen Loki. You had just reached a small village with a population of just over 300 people. You let Aleksia go hunting and sat in the bar trying to drown your sorrows. You had come this far to reach a family who had fallen ill, unfortunately, you didn't make it in time. The funeral was yesterday but you couldn't bring yourself to leave yet. You chugged the rest of your ale and ordered another one, hoping to dull the pain in your chest. 

     "Haven't seen you around here before" a man commented, taking a seat across from you. You glared at him, you weren't in the mood for company. 

     "I only pass through every now and again" you told him, not softening your glare. You hoped the man would take the hint and head back to his friends, but he stayed seated. 

     "Where's your husband?" He asked and you rolled your eyes. The sheer ignorance of some of these men made you angry. 

     "I don't have a husband, I travel on my own" you told him. That may have been a mistake without Aleksia here, but you didn't care. One hand left your glass and rested on your thigh so you could feel your concealed dagger. You kept drinking, making no move to show that you had a weapon. 

     "I could make you a very happy woman, be my wife" the man asked. You placed your drink down, your vision was beginning to get a little fuzzy. 

     "No thank you" you told the man. His once creepy smile turned into a snarl as he hit the table furiously, his honor insulted somehow. 

     "Now you listen here bitch" he began but gasps began erupted through the small tavern. He turned his head as well, to see what the fuss was about but you didn't take your eyes off the man, you didn't trust him. 

     "I believe the lady said no", you heard Loki's voice come from behind you. The man tried to stutter out a response but settled for nodded before taking off. You finished your drink quickly and got up. You tried to turn around smoothly, but you stumbled as the turn made you dizzy. 

     "I could have handled that" you told him, poking him in the chest. It turned into a hand on his chest as you tried to steady yourself. He looked down at you and you couldn't read his expression. 

     "You're drunk" he stated. You rolled your eyes and hailed the barkeep, asking for another ale but Loki pulled your hand down. "She does not need another drink" he told both you and the barkeep. They listened, of course, to Loki since he was a prince. 

     "Don't tell me what to do, I will have another drink if I want another drink" you told him. He still held your hand and you tried to get out of his grasp, it wasn't working. 

     "We're leaving or do I need to fetch your wolf to come drag you out of here", Loki's tone was firm and angry. 

     "You wouldn't dare" you answered, just as angry with him. He gave you a look, as if to tell you to try and challenge him. "Fine, I'll go" you eventually told him. You knew that Aleksia would drag you out of here and it would hurt, might as well walk out with Loki. 

     "Where are you staying?" Loki asked as he followed you out of the bar. You kept walking away, not answering him and he didn't ask again. You went off the beaten track into the woods to a spot that you had set up. After turning around a few times, much to Loki's annoyance, you found your camp site. Once there, you whipped around to Loki, a little steadier than you had been back at the tavern. 

     "You have no right coming here and ordering me around, Loki. I am a grown woman and if I want to drink, I will damn well drink" you told him firmly. 

     "What was your plan exactly? Get belligerently drunk and pass out in the woods where just anyone could happen upon you? Do you know how dangerous that is?" Loki yelled at you, his angry tone taking you off guard. 

     "I can take care of myself" you told him but it came out a whisper. You knew it was a stupid and dangerous thing to do, there was no denying that. You sank down on the blankets you had set up earlier in the evening. 

     "What happened (Y/N)? This isn't like you" he asked, his voice quieter as he sat down beside you. 

     "I couldn’t save them, I wasn't fast enough" you told him, tears fighting their way to the surface. Loki's expression changed instantly, now understanding why you were so upset. He pulled you into his body, wrapping his arms around you as you cried. 

     "It's not your fault, you did the best you could", he kissed the top of your head and held you close to him. He listened to you cry until you weren't anymore and your breaths became even. It was then that he knew you fell asleep. He didn't want to wake you, so he let his magic make a more comfortable bed underneath you both and he laid down with you. 

     He was awoken by light footsteps coming into the camp. His eyes shot open to see the wolf starring down at him and he relaxed. 

     "It's okay little wolf, she will be fine" he told her. He wasn't sure that she really understood him but the wolf then circled around and curled herself by the edges of your legs. He smiled and closed his eyes again, hoping you would feel better in the morning. 


	9. Chapter 9

     You woke with a pounding headache and the sun only made it worse. You turned your head, so you could avoid the sun and listen to the leaves rustle in the light breeze.

     "Now bring it back to Aleksia" you heard Loki's voice and shot up. The night before came rushing back to you and you cringe. You were going to have to apologise for acting like such a child with him. Looking over you saw Aleksia slowly walk over to Loki, a large ball in her mouth. Once she was close enough, she stopped. "Yes, now drop it" he told the wolf. Gingerly, she placed the ball on the ground by Loki's feet.

     He laughed at the wolf's hesitation and picked it up. He threw the ball into the woods and Aleksia watched it go, only to look back at Loki once more.

     "Now you're supposed to go get it again" Loki explained and you could see Aleksia huff and turn around to get the ball once more. "This is supposed to be fun!" Loki called out after her, but the wolf just disappeared into the woods.

     "What are you doing?" You asked. He turned around and smiled at you, he was happy to see that you were awake.

     "I was trying to teach her a game, I see the hounds play it all the time" he explained. You laughed and shook your head.

     "Aleksia isn't a hound though, she's a very intelligent wolf" you told him. He rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed with you.

     "I know that, I just thought she might enjoy it. Obviously, I was wrong" he admitted, and you laughed. You didn't think Aleksia was going to come back any time soon, in fear that Loki was going to throw the ball she had just retrieved for him again. "Oh, I got you something as well!" Loki announced. He turned and got something from behind him then presented you with it. You weren't sure what to say and regarded the bag suspiciously.

     "You didn't have to do this" you told him. He laughed and shoved the bag in your hands, apparently you had taken too long in grabbing it.

     "Well I didn't think you would have much use for jewellery in the middle of nowhere" he laughed. "Plus, I wanted to thank you, for opening my eyes and being a good" he paused for a moment, trying to find the right word. "Person", he seemed to have settled on.

     "Thank you, Loki, this will definitely be handier than jewellery" you smiled, looking it over. You stayed silent for a moment, knowing you would have to apologise. You acted like an idiot last night, and you knew it.

     "Loki, about last night" you began but Loki cut you off.

     "Don't worry about it, you were upset, and you had every right to be. I just wish you would be more careful, I worry about you" he told you, his hands coming up and cupping your cheek.

     "Did you stay with me all night?" You asked him, leaning into his hand. He laughed at you, but not a mean laugh.

     "Of course, I wasn't going to leave you out here all alone and drunk, that's how people die" he told you and you laughed. His expression became serious then and he moved his hand away from you. "I don't think I could endure it if something happened to you". In that moment, however misguided you were, you knew you had feelings for the prince.

     Your eyes flickered down to his lips once more. You knew you may regret this decision, but somehow it seemed better than the 'what ifs' that were tossing about in your head. You leaned in and you noticed his breath hitched as you looked up at him through your lashes. Gently, you pressed your lips to his as his hand cupped the back of your neck. He brought you in closer, deepening the kiss.

     His right hand went to your back as his left gentle pushed you back to the bed. Your headache was long forgotten now as you gripped his arms, feeling his muscles ripple underneath the fabric of his shirt. His hand had left your back and racked up your thigh as you heard a growl. Loki broke the kiss as you both look over to see Aleksia with her teeth barred.

     "She really is overprotective, isn't she?" Loki asked as he got up and held his hand above his hand. That seemed to calm her down as you laughed.

     "I think she is just mad at you for making her fetch that ball" you told Loki. Aleksia took that time to nudge the ball towards him with her nose, as if she was making a point.

     "I swear, I thought you would enjoy it!"

***

     Loki made his way through the castle halls, whistling a long-forgotten tune. He hadn't been in this good of a mood in a long while. He simply couldn't help it, he woke up with you in his arm and you kissed him. He was over the moon.

     "What's got you in such a good mood brother? Should I be worried?" Thor asked, falling in step with him.

     "Oh, nothing to concern yourself with, I am simply happy" Loki responded with a smile on his face. This was enough cause for concern and Thor grabbed his arm, stopping his brother in his tracks.

     "You've been different lately, what's going on?" Thor asked, no hint of joking in his tone. Loki sighed, so much for his good mood, people just always had to ruin it.

     "I swear brother, I am not up to anything atrocious or malevolent. I have simply found a reason to be happy" Loki told him. He was weary of telling his brother why, Thor had issues with keeping secrets to himself.

     "Is it because of a woman?" Thor asked, a smile to his face. Loki sure hoped he missed the red tint that ran up his face. Before Loki could answer, a guard ran up to them.

    "My princes, you must come right away!" He spoke urgently and out of breath.

    "What is it? Are we under attack?" Loki asked, wondering if he should prepare for a battle. Thor looked just as anxious, looking around for any perceived threats.

     "No, it's the Queen" he started. Both Loki and Thor held their breaths. "She's been poisoned".


	10. Chapter 10

     Loki hadn't moved from his mother's bedside in three days. The healers were trying everything and so far, only managed to keep her in stasis. She wasn't getting any worse, but she also wasn't getting any better. They were running out of options, barely any of them possessed magic, and what they did have was very weak. So, without knowing the type of poison, they couldn't form an antidote. 

     Thor and Odin had been working day and night on trying to find out who had poisoned the Queen, but so far nothing came of it. Loki knew what he had to do, although he was dreading it. 

     "You should get some rest, brother" Thor's voice startled him. He hadn't even heard his brother enter the room. 

     "I can't, not until she gets better" he said. Thor took a seat next to his brother. "Are you any closer to finding out who did this?" Loki's voice was desperate, he needed to know that his mother was going to be okay. 

     "Nothing yet, but we will" Thor tried to sound hopeful but even the healers didn’t know how long they could keep her alive in stasis like this. Loki got up, his mind was resolved, he had to do everything he could to save her. "Where are you going?" Thor asked, he had pleaded with his brother to get some rest but somehow, he knew that wasn't where Loki was going. 

     "I know a healer who can help, I think she could save mother" Loki told Thor, although a bit reluctantly. 

     "Better than our healers here? That's impossible" Thor told him. Loki shook his head. 

     "I have watched her accomplish miracles, she's good and unfortunately will probably hate me for even asking this, but I have to try." Loki took a deep breath, there was no sense in hiding it from Thor if he planned on bringing you to the palace. 

     "I knew there was a girl" Thor smiled briefly. "Do you trust her?" He asked then. He knew nothing of this woman, but Loki had changed and that was enough for him right now. 

     "With my life". 

***

     You traveled back to Rangarvellir the next morning, hoping for a break from foraging for food. Makon had been delighted to see you and Aleksia, offering to have you stay in his home. You tried to tell him you would be fine in the woods, you always were, but he threatened to throw you over his shoulder and Aleksia, you knew, would let him. 

     So, you were cleaning up his house as a thank you to Makon when you heard Loki crash into the table. He fell to the ground with a groan. You watched him fumble for a moment as he tried to get back up. 

     "Loki!" You cried, running around the table to check on him. He looked exhausted, he shouldn't have tried to travel with his magic if he was that tired. "What were you thinking?" You asked, helping him up. He looked sad and desperate, more than you had ever seen before. 

     "I need your help" he said once he was sure he was able to stand on his own. You regarded him suspiciously, he had never asked for help like this before, you could tell it was serious. The door creaked open and Makon walked in with Aleksia right behind him. They both regarded the situation carefully and stayed quiet. 

     "What do you need?" You asked, wondering if you even wanted to hear the answer. He took a deep breath. 

     "It's my mother, she's been poisoned" Loki told you. You were sad for Loki but you didn't understand what you could do about it. 

     "Loki, I'm so sorry but-" he cut you off before you could finish. 

     "She isn't dead" he told him. Your stomach twisted in knots as you realized where he was going with this. "The healers have her in a type of stasis but they can't heal her. You're powerful enough to do it though", and there is was, he was asking you to go to the palace. 

     "You can't" Makon spoke up before you got the chance. You sighed and looked at Loki. He was broken, his mother meant the world to him, you knew. You knew what would happen if you went to the palace, but you didn't think you could live with yourself if you let his mother die. 

     "I'll go" you said, despite the protests from Makon and a growl from Aleksia. Loki smile, he looked hopeful. "Can you please give us a moment Loki, I will meet you outside" you told him. He nodded and stumbled his way out of the cabin. Makon glared at you, wasting no time once he knew the prince was out of earshot. 

     "You know what they'll do to you, you can't go" Makon argued and you sighed. You went over to the cupboard and got out a jar filled with paint. The burn mark on your arm was almost noticeable again, so you began to paint over it once more. 

     "Hopefully, they won't figure it out. I could get in, heal her and get out" you told them, although you weren't too confident in that. You let your arm dry, once it was, you normally couldn’t tell the difference. Happy with your work, you turned around to your two irate friends. 

     "It's never that simple" Makon added, still angry with you for agreeing to this. But his voice held a sad tone now, he didn't want to lose a friend. "How has the prince not noticed your mark, anyway?" Makon asked, he has seen it more than once in the presence of the prince. You laughed. 

     "Loki often misses the things that are right in front of him" you tell him. You sighed and crossed the house to give him a hug. "I will be fine, watch Aleksia for me while I am gone" you told him. Then you got to your knees in front of the wolf. She whimpered at you gave her a hug. "Don't be like that, I will be back before you know it. In the meantime, watch over Makon and the village, they may need you" you told her firmly. You got up and headed towards the door. "I will see you both soon" you said before leaving them; possibly seeing them for the last time. 

     Loki was waiting outside for you and smile when he saw you come out. You couldn’t bring yourself to return the smile though. He enveloped you in a hug. 

     "Thank you for doing this, it means the world to me" Loki told you. You breathed in his scent and tried to calm your anxious heart. 

     "I know" you told him. He pulled away from grabbed your hand. You got ready for the pull of the magic and for whatever fate awaited you at the palace. 


	11. Chapter 11

     You landed roughly but you knew that you were in the healing wing right away. You recognised Thor has he got up from where he was sitting by his mother's bedside. Your eyes turned to her, she was beautiful, even when she was dying. Her long blond hair framed her pale face, her complexion was clear, nothing out of place.

     "Brother, this is the healer I was telling you about, (Y/N)" Loki introduced you. You pulled your eyes away from his mother as Thor took your hand and kissed it. You took in Thor's appearance, you had only ever seen him from afar. He was larger than longer, his hair long but about the same length. You watched Loki tense up as Thor smiled up at you. "Don't get too familiar, brother" he snapped.

     "You must excuse Loki, he has always been the jealous type" Thor smirked and you nodded, not willing to bring yourself into the conversation. You made your way over to their mother, assessing the situation as best you could with the machine keeping her in stasis.

     "I can't be interrupted" you told the boy and Loki nodded. "Have you found the poison that was used?" You asked, it would help but it wasn't needed. Your powers have worked on ever poison you've come into contact with, but it was easier if you knew where to target and what for.

     "No, that’s where our healers are stuck" Loki told you. You nodded and made your way over to the machine keeping her alive.

     "I need to turn it off to heal her, I will have to work quickly which means any interruptions could mean death for her" you told them firmly.

     "I trust you, we will keep anyone from interrupting" Loki told you. You made your way over and began turning off the machine, but it was a process on its own. Thor leaned over to his brother.

     "The guards and Father will be alerted once the machine is turned off, shouldn't we at least tell Father what we are doing?" Thor whispered. Thor watched you as you got to work, nervously pacing from foot to foot.

     "We don't know how much time she has left in there, we don’t have time. Once they come in, we will just have to stop them from interrupting her" Loki whispered back. You pretended as though you didn't hear them and tried not to think about Odin rushing in to save his wife. You sighed, this was going to be the death of you.

     The machine was turning off and you worked fast as the alarms began blaring. A white light emitted from your hands, encasing both you and the Queen. You tried to ignore the rushing sounds of footsteps and focused only on removing the poison from the Queen's veins. It was hard, the poison was being stubborn, which meant it had magical properties. This was going to be harder than you thought.

     The door crashed opened but you didn't flinch, you couldn't. This may be the last time you trusted Loki, but you had to trust that he would keep his mother safe which meant you were safe, for now. You put more power into your healing, causing the light to pulse brighter for a moment.

     "Get out of the way, she is killing your mother!" Odin yelled as the guards tried to push past the princes. Loki stood his ground, using what little magic he had left to keep the guards from getting to you and your patient.

     "She is saving her and if you knew what was best, then you would stay out of the way!" Loki yelled. It seemed to be enough to stop the arguing and you continued on your work. The poison was coming out and her heartbeat began to get stronger. She was breathing on her own once more. Just a little longer and you could stop.

     You were overheating, sweat pooled on your forehead as you continued to work through it. This was taking all of your magic, there was no way of fighting off the guards after this. You knew you were stuck, but you continued. Your breath was ragged as you drew out the last bit of poison and fell to the ground.

     The light disappeared and the Queen woke. You were tired, your body wanted to rest or give up, you weren't sure which. You felt sweaty, sticky and gross; the amount of strength you had poured into that healing had been far more than you were expecting.

     "Frigga?" You heard Odin rush to her side. She was still groggy and would be for a while. It was quite the ordeal she went through. You chanced a look at Loki who was watching his mother breath on her own once more, he was no longer the broken man he was when he came to get you. It should have made you happy, but it didn't. Thor was looking at you instead, his eyes calculating.

     You managed to sit up slightly, catching your breath. You were looking down at the floor when you saw two boots stop in front of you. You cursed, you should have left when you had the chance. You looked up to see Odin standing in front of you.

     "Stand up" he ordered and you heard Loki try to protest, he explained that you needed your rest. It was falling on deaf ears though. You tried but obviously you weren't fast enough because two guards yanked you up by your arms. You noticed the healers moving Frigga out of the room, a worried expression was cast back at you.

     Odin reached out for your arm and rubbed, hard. What little paint had been left after your healing session had come off easily.

     "I knew I recognised you, you look just like your mother. She had your abilities too" Odin spat. You wanted to hit him, to yell, anything, but you only managed to glare at him.

     "Father, what are you talking about?" Thor asked. Loki seemed to find himself speechless as he watched in horror.

     "She's a runaway, a slave" Odin spat. "Take her to the dungeons to await punishment".


	12. Chapter 12

     The dungeon was cold and damp; causing you to shiver. You paced back and forth, trying to stay as warm as you could. You feared that if you sat down and fell asleep, your body would give in and refuse to wake. Not that a better alternative would be waiting for you if you did wake. The punishment for slaves who run away was death, even though you had only been a small child at the time, you didn't think that would grant you any leniency. 

     You weren't sure how long you had been in the cell before you finally sat down. Your feet were growing tired and there wasn't much else to do. Your mind raced with thoughts, what was Loki thinking of you right now? Were you going to be able to escape? Or was death the better option? You did not want to be a slave again, even if Odin offered it as the only way to save your life; you would refuse.  

     "I'm trying to get you a nicer cell", a voice made you jump to your feet. Thor stood in front of the cell, his face contorted in confusion. 

     "That's unnecessary, I'm sure the All Father won't waste comforts on a runaway" you scoffed. You hadn't meant to be rude, but you were cold and cranky. You were also getting hungry but you tried to ignore that. "How is your mother?" You asked, you wanted to ask about Loki but you weren't sure if you could handle that just yet. 

     "She is recovering well, the healers are all amazed at your work" Thor told you and you nodded, that was good, you were glad she didn't die. You lean against the wall, head resting against the hard rock of the cell. 

     "Why did you agree to come to the palace? You must have known this was going to happen" Thor asked. You could tell he had been thinking about that one for a while. 

     "Loki needed me" was your response. There had been no other reason and you knew the consequences, but Loki had been worth it. "Is he okay?" You whispered, unsure if you wanted the answer still. 

     "He is upset, we had to sedate him to ensure he would rest. I fear we are all in terrible trouble when he wakes though" Thor offered. You winced at that. 

     "Loki does have a rather horrid temper" you agreed. Thor let a little chuckle escape hips lips and you let yourself smile. "So tell me, what am I facing?" You asked. You wanted to know what to be prepared for; at least then maybe you wouldn't be so nervous. 

     You looked up at Thor who was now looking to the ground. He didn't want to tell you, that much was certain. You cleared your throat, trying to get his attention again. He looked up at you with pity in his eyes; that's not what you wanted. 

     "There is some debate, either you can become a slave once more or you will be executed" Thor told you and you nodded. 

     "Well you can tell the All Father that I refuse to become a slave" you told Thor, your voice never cracking or wavering although all you wanted to do was fall to the ground and cry. 

     "But he will kill you" Thor stammered, unsure of why you had decided so quickly. It was between living or dying, the choice seemed rather obvious to Thor. 

     "Yes, and that's still a better option than being a slave" you told him, your eyes fixed onto his. You needed him to know you were serious.  

     "Loki will not be happy about this; he will think of something, some way to get you out" Thor didn't seem willing to accept your decision any more than Loki would be able to take it. You smiled at Thor. 

     "Tell him I'm sorry". 

***

     Thor quietly walked into the room, trying to avoid any stares. After he checked on his brother, who still hadn't woken, he went to check on his Mother. To his surprise, she was already at an impromptu feast to celebrate her health. 

     Thor felt it inappropriate to be having a celebration after visiting you and his brother. Sure, he was happy his mother was alive, but things still didn't feel right. He took his seat at the back of the feast, something he had only ever done when he was trying to coax his shy brother into joining the party. 

     It wasn't long before he was two glasses of ale in and Frigga noticed him. She sauntered over, accepting well wishes and good health prayers as she did. Thor looked up at her and smiled as she took a seat. 

     "I take it you went to speak to the woman who saved me?" He nodded, there was no point in lying to her, she could always see right through her children. "How is she doing?" 

     "She has opted for execution" Thor told his mother bluntly. She didn't seem surprised by this but looked around. 

     "Come, take a walk with me" she told Thor. He looked at her suspiciously, but agreed, holding out an arm for her to take. They left the feast quietly, trying not to draw unwanted attention to themselves. The palace was quiet as they walked through the halls, going nowhere in particular. 

     "Slavery is the one of the biggest issues your father and I do not agree on, unfortunately, it has been around so long there is little I can do about it" Frigga started. He had never really thought of the slaves before, not until now that is. "I fear that if Loki loses this woman, he will fall even further down the pit of despair. After what happened on Midgard, I feared we would never get our Loki back but he has been different these past few months" she took a pause as she smiled. 

     "There have been reports of stories being told of him. How he helped save a village from having a terrible winter, stories of him caring about this healer above all else. Stories and praise that haven't been attributed to Loki in a long time" she told him. He had heard a few things too, but he dismissed them all as rumors at the time. 

     "So what are we to do? Father seems pretty set on punishing her" Thor complained. He didn't know where to go from here, Loki had always been the planner. Frigga smiled at her son.

     "Do what you always do, keep Loki safe during whatever ridiculous plan his mischievous mind comes up with". 


	13. Chapter 13

     Thor sat by Loki’s side for hours, but he didn’t wake. Whatever sedation Odin used to put him to sleep was taking its time working through his systems and Thor was beginning to worry. The longer Loki slept, the closer to death you got. Thor lamented about what to do, he looked at Loki, his brother was still breathing.

     He looked at the door and then took a quick look back at Loki. If this woman was the reason for his change, he couldn’t let her die and Loki being lost to him forever. That resolved his inner turmoil and he shot up, heading straight for the dungeon.

     There was no time to think, but he realised that he would need to access the dungeons a different way than the palace. Guards were walking through the halls, and they would be suspicious of the Prince wandering about this late. There was an old path he could use, Loki showed it to him decades ago when they were just children.

     He rushed outside, taking careful precautions to avoid any guards that were patrolling. He kept in the darkness as much as he could, hoping to avoid any curious glances. He was about to turn a corner when he heard a growl. Looking back slowly, he noticed the largest wolf he ever saw growling at him, teeth bared and ready to bite. He lifted his hammer slowly, wondering if the beast was going to attack.

     “Aleksia, no! This isn’t what she would want!” A male voice hissed. Thor chanced a look around to see a man emerging from the bushes. He stopped in his tracks at seeing Thor with his hammer raised. “Prince Thor, my apologies” he bowed quickly.

     “Is this beast yours?” Thor asked ridiculously, lowering his hammer.

     “No, no of course not. She belongs to a friend of mine who came to the palace, unfortunately the wolf was worried, and you can’t tell a wolf no” he explained. He wasn’t sure how Aleksia felt about being called yours, but she never turned back to him.

      “What’s your name?” Thor asked, more relaxed than he had previously been.

      “Makon” he answered. Thor nodded, the name didn’t mean anything to him. Although he had always been terrible with names, Loki was always the brains of their operations.

      “Sorry to say, but I don’t think sneaking around the palace is the best option to visit a friend in the palace” Thor quipped, trying to make a joke. Makon sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

      “Well we didn’t know exactly know if she was alright or not, we came to check on her” he told Thor. The dots began to connect in Thor’s mind and he sighed.

     “Is your friend (Y/N)?” Thor watched both of their eyes widen and the wold tilt its head to the side. “She isn’t okay, I was just on my way to break her out of the dungeons” Thor offered.

     “I knew that Loki couldn’t be trusted! She never should have come here!” Makon hissed, anger taking over and making him forget that he was in the company of a Prince. Thor got defensive, he was speaking of his brother after all.

     “It isn’t Loki’s fault. Our mother was dying, and she never told him that she was a slave!” Thor countered, his voice rising slightly. He tried not to yell, but it was getting increasingly hard. Makon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

     “You’re right, she came here of her own volition and she knew the risks” Makon agreed and Thor calmed. “Why are you breaking her out though?”

     “Loki has been different since he met her, more like his old self. I won’t risk losing my brother again and if he loves her, that’s good enough for me” Thor answered.

     “And where is Loki?” Makon asked. He knew enough about Loki to know that he was overprotective of (Y/N). He would have never left her alone long enough for this to happen. Thor got a shamed look on his face.

     “My father sedated him, when he wakes, he will not be happy but at least I can tell him that she lives” Thor told him firmly. He noticed the wolf would nod along, it appeared as though it understood what they were saying.

     “We’re coming with you then” Makon told Thor, who was about to argue with them, but he cut him off. “There is nothing you can say to stop us, she is our friend and we’re going” Makon told him firmly. Thor nodded and ushered them along towards the dungeons.

     There would be hell to pay tomorrow, but he would handle that when the time came. He rushed down the stairs, hitting the familiar sent of the dungeons. Two guards would block the way, that he knew, so instead he headed to the left. He kept to the shadows, sneaking up behind them and knocking them out.

     “Sorry about that” he whispered, although he knew they couldn’t hear him. He turned to Makon and the wolf. “I need you two to stay here and keep watch” he told him. Makon nodded as did the wolf, so he headed in. It didn’t take him long to remember which cell you were being kept in. He spotted you instantly, you were curled into a corner shivering. The dungeons were a damp area and he wondered why you weren’t given something to keep you warm, although he can’t imagine the guards would care too much; he scowled at that thought.

     He placed his hand on the glass and watched as you jumped and turned around. You glanced around until your eyes landed on Thor, eyebrow raised in confusion. You got up from the ground, arms hugging your body to try and keep warm.

     “What are you doing back here Thor?” You asked. You hadn’t expected to see anyone until the morning when they came to get you for your execution.

     “Do you love him?” Thor asked. He didn’t have to specify who he was talking about, that much was obvious. Your eyes found the floor for a moment, a tear falling before you could gather a breath and look back up at Thor.

     “Against my better judgement, yes, I love him” you told Thor. You felt back, you hadn’t even told Loki those words. You weren’t planning on telling Loki anytime soon, but it just occurred to you that you wouldn’t be able to now. Thor smiled at you broadly.

     “Well then, I’m here to break you out”.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this has taken me so long! I have just been super busy with my wedding coming up in two weeks and family that will be coming to town. I promise I will try and be quicker with the next update though!

     “I’m not going with you” you told Thor as he opened the door. Thor balked at your response, watching you glare at him. 

     “Why not” he asked. You crossed your arms, looking at him sadly. You could tell he didn’t understand, you wanted to go with him, you really did, but you just couldn’t. 

     “If I leave, then Loki will get blamed. I don’t want that” you told him. You couldn’t handle the fact that Loki might get hurt from this. You didn’t even know how he would feel about you after learning your heritage. 

     “You have to, because if you stay in here and die then Loki will be lost to us forever” Thor paused, waiting for you to say something, anything, but you stayed quiet. “I have finally felt as though I could have my brother back again. Please, don’t make me lose him” Thor begged. You sighed, how could you say no to that?

     “Promise me that nothing bad will happen to Loki” you asked, before changing your mind. You had to know that he was going to be alright. 

     “I swear on my life, that I will protect Loki” Thor promised. You sighed and nodded, stepping out of your cage a little reluctantly. Thor held out his hand for you, you took it, very slowly. As soon as your hand made contact, he pulled you out of the cell. “Some friends are waiting for you outside for the castle” Thor smiled. 

     You didn’t need to ask who it was, Makon and Aleksia were the only ones who would have come in search of you. Thor led you up some stairs, the smell of fresh air began to waft in and you inhaled deeply. You hadn’t realized how stale the air had been down in the dungeons. 

     Thor burst through the door, causing both Makon and Aleksia to take a fighting stance. Once they realized who it was, they calmed until the wolf say you. She jumped onto you, her paws on either shoulder, giving you a hug almost. 

     “I missed you too Aleksia” you said warming, petting her fur and cuddling into her neck. You let the wolf go and glared at Makon. “You shouldn’t have come” you scolded. 

     “How could we not? And I was right by the way, you helped Loki and you got fucked over for it” he said, but you only rolled your eyes. You had no defense, he was right but you didn’t have to be happy about it. 

     “I need to get back to Loki, do you think you can make it out from here?” Thor asked and you nodded. 

     “Yeah, we got this” you told him. He nodded and was about to leave but stopped at the door. He turned back around and pulled you into a hug.

     “Thank you for saving my mother, and my brother. I owe you the world and I hope to one day pay back the kindness you’ve shown. Until then, be safe; at least for Loki’s sake” he whispered. You agreed and let him go, watching him disappear back into the castle. Slowly, you turned back to the other two, ready to make the long trek home. 

     “You’re staying with me until you heal, I won’t accept anything less” Makon said sternly. You took another look at the castle before sighing. 

     “Sure” you responded, making your way past him and Aleksia to begin your walk. You had your back turned to the other, so you missed the worried glance that the wolf and you friend shared. 

***

     You walked around the small cabin, gathering odds and ends and cleaning up the surface. Makon had gone to his guard duty and Aleksia was outside playing with children; or hunting, you weren’t really sure. It had been three days since you got back and it took a lot of convincing for them to finally leave you alone, even if it was only for a few hours. 

     You felt useless over the past couple of days, wallowing in self-pity as you thought of what Loki must think of you now. He hadn’t been to visit yet, you wondered if he ever would again. Today was the first day you couldn’t stay in bed any longer. Your magic was slowly coming back, and you wanted to be useful once more. 

     You placed Makon’s dirty clothes into a bucket of water and let your magic do the rest. Your magic weaved through the rest of the house, dusting, cleaning and reorganizing. Once it was done, the house looked much better. 

     You heard the door creak open. Suspecting it to be Makon, you didn’t turn around until you were through taking out the wet clothes from the bucket. 

     “You’re a hard person to find, sister”, everything from your hands dropped as you slowly turned around. The man at the door wasn’t Makon, instead you were faced with your brother. 

     “That’s because I didn’t want to be found, Valdor” you hissed. He sauntered into the cabin, closing the door behind him. 

     “I take it you’re the one who healed the Queen? After all, you’re the only one powerful enough to do it” he spoke softly, like he was disappointed in you instead of angry. 

     “You shouldn’t have tried to poison her, they’ll come after you now” you responded, choosing to ignore the tone of his voice. 

     “They won’t be able to find me” he said with a smirk. “And they definitely won’t be able to find you”, you felt his magic pull at you, but you were faster. You pushed back with your own magic, thankful now that you had spent the last few days wallowing because your magic was at full strength again. Valdor looked taken back, he hadn’t been expecting that. 

     “I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the last time we seen each other” you told him firmly. You pushed him back into the wall, making him stumble to regain his footing. His calm demeanor was gone almost instantly. 

     “Why did you save her? We could have finally had our revenge” he spat as he yelled at you. You didn’t let it bother you however, you couldn’t let him get under your skin. 

     “I’m not a killer” you told him firmly. You watched as he produced a dagger, much the same way Loki had learned to materialize objects, you realized. Your heart grieved when you thought of him, but you pushed it to the side, you had more pressing matters at the moment. 

     "You wouldn’t have killed her, you just needed to stay out of it” he spat. “You risked everything, your life, so save someone who doesn’t give a damn about you, why?” He was moving every closer to you. Your eyes were trained on his weapon, watching for any sudden movements. 

     “I wouldn’t expect you to understand” you told him. He narrowed his eyes and stopped his movement, looking at you with interest. 

     “So, the rumors are true” he stated, and his weapon faltered as he laughed. “You’ve been hanging around the young prince, let me guess, you’ve fallen in love” he mocked. That hurt, you had to admit, but you tried to keep your expression neutral. Suddenly, the dagger was coming at you. You moved out of the way, but the cabin wasn’t big and you didn’t have a lot of options.

     You landed a knee into Valdor’s stomach, causing him to groan in pain. You couldn’t get away fast enough though and he pulled you down by your hair. You managed to sit up on your knees, but he yanked your hair back, causing you to look at him and the shiny dagger pointing towards your heart. 

     “A prince would never love you, you are nothing but a slave, a runaway and if you won’t join me then I will make sure you aren’t around to impede by work again, sister”. 

***

     Thor made his way up to the family wing; just as he had done every day for the past three days since he let you go. His mind was buzzing with thoughts and worries. He wondered if maybe he should have gotten you to stay, it would have been safer, he could have found a way to protect you. He sighed, he knew this was probably for the best, being in the castle was too dangerous for you. 

     He opened Loki’s door, not bothering to knock since Loki had been asleep for the past couple of days. He didn’t look up as he entered the room, so he was just barely able to dodge the blade that had been aimed towards his head. 

     Loki’s dagger embedded itself into the wall next to Thor’s head. He whipped around to see Loki standing, fully clad in armor, and seething in anger. Thor wasn’t sure if had ever seen Loki this angry, not even before the New York attack did Loki look so utterly distraught. Two more blades materialized by his side and he glared at Thor. 

     “Where is she?”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, I will try to post a longer one next.

     Thor dodged the blades being thrown at him and just barely missed Loki lunging at him. He was angry, and it was hard to reason with Loki when he was angry. Thor called for his hammer, the crashing sounds echoed through the palace as it made its way to his hand. A knife plunged into his side as Mjolnir collided with his hand. Thor grunted and hauled Loki to the side and then down, he placed the hammer on his chest. 

     With Loki stuck for the moment, Thor fell next to him, his side bleeding out onto the floor. Loki was uttering profanities and curses to anyone who would have hurt you. Thor let out a sigh before clamping a hand down on Loki’s mouth. 

     “If you would just let me speak, I could tell you that she is safe” Thor hissed out. Loki stopped struggling instantly. “If I take Mjolnir off of you, will you behave? We need to be quiet” Thor whispered. Loki regarded him cautiously but nodded anyway. 

     “Where is she?” Loki whispered as the weight from his chest was lifted. Thor sat up from the ground, propping himself up on the wall. 

     “Father had thrown her in the dungeons but I helped her escape. I don’t know where she went, but she was accompanied by a large wolf and a friend of hers” Thor explained. 

     “That bastard imprisoned her” Loki snarled at the revelation. 

     “There’s something else I should tell you, but I must stress that you stay quiet about it. They only just found out she was missing and they are still searching the castle, we do not want to give them any information regarding her whereabouts, right?” Thor’s voice was stern, it was putting Loki off; normally his brother was never serious. 

     “Fine, I will stay calm” Loki promised. Thor paused a moment, like he didn’t believe Loki was actually capable of remaining calm, but then gave in. 

     “Odin had sentenced her to either become a slave, or death” Thor paused, watching Loki’s face contort in seething anger, but he said nothing. “She had opted for death, I fear if she is cornered, she will not let herself be caught again” Thor whispered the last part but he could tell Loki knew what he meant. 

     “Thank you for the warning brother, I am sorry I stabbed you” Loki apologized, this time is was Thor who was put off by the sudden change in demeanor. Loki reached over, letting his magic weave through Thor’s wound and heal it. 

     “Thanks” Thor mumbled. They both sat against the wall for a few moments in silence, neither of them sure how to proceed. 

     “I need to find her” Loki finally mumbled out. 

     “How?” Thor asked. Loki smirked and got up from the floor, holding out a hand and helping Thor up with a mild grunt. 

     “Magic” Loki replied simply, with a large grin on his face. Thor chuckled and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulders. 

     “Go, I will cover for you here as long as I can”. 

***

     You waited for the blade to dive into your body, stopping your heart, but nothing came. You chanced opening an eye and saw the blade above you, but a hand was now firmly grasping your brother’s. 

     “Step away from my lady” Loki growled. Your eyes shot opened as your hair was released and you fell to the floor. Turning around, you could very clearly see Loki, and he was seething. 

     “You shouldn’t be here Loki” you breathed out, worried for his safety. He broke out into a smile when he looked at you, like he couldn’t control his face when he saw you. He didn’t get the chance to answer you because Valdor scoffed and Loki’s anger returned quickly. 

     “Are you protecting your favorite slaves now; that good in bed, was she?” He mocked and you winced. 

     “You shouldn’t speak that way of a lady” Loki growled as Valdor scoffed once more. Before he was able to say anything though, Loki twisted his arm and you heard a distinct ‘crack’ and a groan of pain. Loki grabbed him again without hesitation and threw him out of the house by the window. There was a loud crashing sound before you heard your brother hit the ground and Loki turned to you. 

     “I’m alright” you spoke before he could as you got up from the floor. You heard a strangled cry from outside. 

     “How is that wolf from Hel still alive?” Your brother screamed out as you heard Aleksia growl. You almost laughed. 

     “Looks like she found something to play with” you smirked before heading out of the door. You couldn’t let him get away. Loki followed quickly behind you to see that Aleksia has her teeth wrapped around Valdor’s thigh as she sat on his chest, keeping him in place. 

     “Good job Aleksia” Loki praised, her tail began wagging, hitting Valdor in the face repeatedly. You wanted to laugh, you really did, but it wasn’t the time for that. “I can take it from here” Loki told the wolf. He bowed her head and released her jaw so she could bound over to you. She took a protective stance in front of you as Makon came running up to see what the commotion was about. 

     You put your hand out to stop him, if anyone would be able to take care of your brother, it was going to be Loki. Makon stopped, a little reluctantly and watched as Loki close in on the injured man. He hauled him up by the collar, keeping him up with his strength. 

     “Did you think I was just going to let you get away with hurting the woman I love?” Loki asked. Your eyes widened and your heart stopped at the revelation. 

     “You need to breath (Y/N)” Makon whispered in your ear, nudging you slightly. You breathed in, not realizing you had stopped. 

     “Love huh?” Valdor snickered, his usual condescending attitude coming back. “You wouldn’t kill the brother of the woman you loved now, would you?” He laughed and you cursed, you had hoped to keep that a secret just a little while longer. You glared at him but Loki paused, his anger taking a break as he looked back at you. 

     In that time, he forgot Valdor and let him drop to the floor. You couldn’t let him get away again, so you did the only think you could think of, tell the truth. 

     “He’s the one who poisoned your mother” you told Loki quickly. The anger was back and a dagger materialized in his hands. He threw it before he even looked at the target, but Valdor disappeared and the dagger embedded itself into a tree branch. Both you and Loki cursed. 

     He didn’t turn back to look at you right away. You watched him as he stood up straight and take a deep breath. You watched as his shoulders squared off and he adjusted his clothes before turning to you. He wasn’t angry, but he was no longer smiling when he walked up to you and looked down at your confused face. For a moment you thought he was going to yell at you, but instead he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before muttering. 

     “We need to talk”. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long and I am sorry that it's a short chapter! Life is getting back to normal so I should be able to update more regularly now.

     You sat quietly across the room from Loki, the silence was making you even more anxious than you had been before. Loki would look like he was going to say something, then he would shut his mouth again, thinking better of it. You sighed, you couldn’t just sit here and watch him try and think of something to say. 

     “Are you mad?” You asked tentatively. It was the only thing that came to mind, unsure of where his emotions were at anymore. He turned to you and his features softened. Before answering, he got up and made his way over, sitting next to you. 

     “No, I’m just confused” he admitted. You nodded, that made sense. He had learned a whole lot about you in a very short period of time, add to that the stress of almost losing his mother, it was enough to drive anyone mad. 

     “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was a run-away slave” you started, trying to get the conversation going. He smiled and grabbed your hand. 

     “I don’t blame you for that, although your first reaction upon meeting me makes a lot more sense now” he concluded and you allowed yourself to smile. “Why don’t you tell me about your relationship with your brother and why he tried to kill my mother instead?” Loki suggested and you nodded, taking a deep breath. 

     “We were young when my family tried to run away from the palace. My father died during flight, taking an arrow to the heart. My mother suffered a few mortal wounds, but she managed to get us to a town where our grandmother lived before she died. My brother and I suffered nightmares, even in the waking hours and they only seemed to get worse as time went on” you paused for a moment, trying to think of the right words. 

     “When my magic began developing, I showed an early aptitude for healing, so focusing all my abilities on helping the people who the crown left behind. My brother on the other hand, couldn’t let go of his anger. His rage grew out of hand and with it, his magic. Eventually it led to a mishap that killed my grandmother.” You let a tear roll down your face as Loki squeezed your hand. You shook the thought out of your head and continued on. 

     “I tried to help him, I really did but he was so insistent on revenge. When he figured out that I wouldn’t help him, he left. We have had a few run ins over the years, none of them very pleasant” you added, your features hardening at the thought of them. 

     “So, you recognized the poison because he had used it before?” Loki took a guess and you nodded, not willing to speak of the incident. 

     “I wanted to tell you sooner” you told him, he could tell it was the truth. Once you had recognized the poison, you were going to tell him after the healing, but time had run out for you.

     “But Odin was making that fairly difficult” Loki finished for you and you nodded. Silence filled the room once more as Loki put his arm around you and pulled your body close to him. You enjoyed the feeling, content to sit in silence if it meant that you could be in his arms. 

     “My brother won’t stop” you told him quietly. “You may have put off his plans but once he is healed, he will try again”. Loki looked at you grimly. 

     “I figured that much, and I will go after him alone. You shouldn’t have to fight against family” Loki resolved. You shook you head and moved away from him slightly. 

     “If you’re going after him then I am coming with you. I know where he hides out and I refuse to let you face him on your own. This is my fight too” you told him sternly. His face broke out into a reluctant smile. 

     “Fine, but if anything happens to you, I will be very cross” he tried to sound stern, but it came out with strained laughter. You giggled and nodded your head, agreeing to his terms. You watched his eyes flicker down to your lips before he pulled you in. His lips crashed onto yours as his arm snaked around your body, bringing you closer to him. 

     A knock on the door soon interrupted your time with Loki. You looked up to see Makon poke his head through the door. He was quick to wince when he seen both you and Loki giving him a slight glare. 

     “Sorry to interrupt but there is a woman with a small child out here looking for you. The child looks quite sick” Makon told you and you were on your feet in an instant. 

     “Thanks for letting me know” you smiled and him and made your way out of the house. True to his word, a young, worried looking woman was standing in the middle of the town bouncing a crying child. You were very aware that Loki was following you outside, and it seemed to put the young woman on edge. 

     “This is (Y/N), the healer you were looking for” Makon introduced you. The relief on her face flooded your heart, happy you could be of service again. After your time in prison and the time you spent healing, you were glad to be back doing what you loved. 

     “Thank you so much for seeing us, I didn’t know where else to go. It’s my brother, he has been sick for days and hasn’t been able to keep any food down” she spouted off quickly. You smiled at her and took the child from her arms and sitting down with him. 

     “Don’t worry, he will be back to his normal self soon” you told her. Loki watched intently as you healed the child, laughing when the child giggled at the feel of your magic. A smile formed on his face as he watched you perform magic expertly. He had never really seen you heal someone before, the sight was magnificent as a white flow emitted from you. 

     “So, are you sticking around or heading back to the palace?” Makon took him out of his trance. Loki didn’t need to think about it as he watched you. As he watched you he knew with absolutely certainty what he wanted. 

     “I am never leaving her side again”.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is another short chapter, I will be trying to make them longer in the future!

     “Loki, be reasonable!” You yelled at him. He sat across the room from you with his arms crossed and a look of defiance on his face. 

     “I am being reasonable, I am not leaving your side!” He countered. This argument had been going on for the last two days while you got ready to leave Makon’s house. You rolled your eyes and huffed. 

     “He is your brother and he deserve to know what our plan is”, you spoke a little quieter. It was growing dark outside and you were certain that your yelling would begin to keep people awake well into the night. “What if we get hurt and need back up?” You asked, trying to make him see reason. 

     “I will not leave you again and risk you getting taken from me, I also refuse to bring you to the palace, it is too dangerous” Loki’s argument had remained much the same for the last few hours while you had tried to think of new ones. You rubbed your temples; this argument was giving you a headache. 

     You heard a small whimper from the corner, Aleksia had not been too happy about this argument either. She had quickly given up on trying to get the both of you to calm down and retreated into a corner of the small house. Her whimper made your heart break and you smiled at her, trying to comfort her; Loki did the same which seemed to make her a little happier. 

     “Has the argument stopped?” Makon asked, poking his head through the door. He had disappeared when it started and only came back periodically to check on both of you. 

     “No” both you and Loki responded. Makon nodded but came into the house this time, a smile on his face. 

     “Well then, my idea to the rescue” he laughed. You crossed your arms and leaned on the table, waiting for him to continue.

     “Please, enlighten us”, you rolled your eyes at Loki being sarcastic. 

     “Hey, don’t take your frustrations with her out on me!” Makon snapped at Loki. Loki rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything while Makon nodded triumphantly. “So, I while the two of you were arguing what to do, I was speaking with the town. There is a shipment going to the palace that is leaving first thing in the morning. I have offered my services of protection so that when we get to the palace, I can find and speak with Thor about your plans” Makon finished. 

     “We can’t ask you to do that Makon, you could get hurt”. His plan was simple, but you were still worried about it. If Valdor found out about this, Makon wouldn’t stand a chance. 

     “You’ve been my friend for a long time (Y/N), and I owe you my life. Let me help you, I want to help” Makon stressed. You looked over to Loki who simply shrugged, he was letting you make this decision. 

     “Fine, but Aleksia is going with you” you told him and you could see the wolf perk up. She wasn’t happy about that. She padded over to you, her tail between her legs and eyes down to the floor. You sighed and bent down slightly, lifting her head up. “I know you want to come with me and protect me, old friend. I will be with Loki though and we both have magic, Makon has none, he needs you right now” you told her. 

     You giggled when she licked your nose and you knew she would do as you asked. With that settled, you gave her a hug before standing up again. 

     “So, it’s all settled then, we leave in the morning with our plan in place?” Loki asked. All three of you exchanged a grim glance, your unknown fate tugging at the back of your mind. 

     “Guess so, are you sure you don’t want to change your mind?” You joked and Loki let out a small chuckle. 

     “I think you know very well that I do not change my mind once it’s set on something”. 

***

     The morning came far too quickly for you. You groaned when the sun began to shine into the room. Turning around to Loki, you buried your head in the nap of his neck, trying to block out the intruding light. Loki chuckled and pulled you closer to him. 

     “We do have to get up eventually. I think Makon is already up and getting ready, he makes quite the racket” Loki told you. 

     “This house isn’t soundproof!” You heard Makon yell from the other side of the door. You laughed as you sat up, Loki removed the sheets and got up as well. You stretched, hearing a few bones lightly crack as you did so. 

     You followed Loki out of the small bedroom as he waved his hand to produce a rather large breakfast on the small table. A large steak appeared in front of Aleksia who gave a loud, thankful, bark. 

     “We will all need out strength for what is to come, so eat” Loki commanded. You were going to reprimand him for telling you what to do, but your stomach growled at the sight of the delicious food and you forgot all about it. Makon sat down quickly too, taking a little bit of everything on to his plate before stuffing him face. You and Loki stared for a moment, he was eating like he had been starved for weeks. 

     “What?” He asked, his mouth full. You turned away in disgust and concentrated on your own food. 

     “You eat like my brother” Loki complained. Makon rolled his eyes but slowed down. Breakfast was eaten in mostly silence as you thought through your plan. There would be no going back after this, and it was making you nervous. Loki’s hand reached underneath the table and squeezed your thigh gently. When you looked up, he was smiling at you, effectively helping you to relax. 

     It wasn’t long before the house was cleaned and you were all outside, getting ready to leave in your own directions. 

     “So, this is it then” Makon huffed out, unsure of what to say or do. 

     “I guess so, you be careful and look out for each other” you told Makon and Aleksia. They both nodded their heads and you tried to fight the tears that were threatening to spill. “We will see each other again soon” you told them. 

     Makon reached for your hand and pulled you into a hug. You gladly took it and fought off the need to cry. Once he let go, he was soon replaced by Aleksia hopping up from four legs to two and falling into you. She licked your face as you hugged her, the fur tickling your nose. 

     “Be careful, we will be back as soon as we can” Loki told them. 

     “Take care of her” Makon warned, a finger pointing in his face. Loki let out a smile as he brought you closer to him. 

     “Always”. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been awhile, I am trying to update all my works in the next couple of weeks. It may be slow because my eyes are quite swollen and staring at a computer screen hurts, but I will try. I hope you enjoy this update!

     “How in Hel did they find us so quickly?” You huffed out towards Loki as you ran through the woods. It had taken a lot of convincing to ensure that Loki ran instead of killing the party of soldiers that were now hunting you. However, his patience was wearing thin, that much you could tell. He grabbed your arm and hauled you behind a large boulder, his breath hitting against your neck. 

     “You should just let me kill them” he hissed. Your breather was ragged as well, trying to hike up the mountain had been difficult enough, but running was damn near impossible. It had only been a day outside of the village when the soldiers had caught up with you, luckily, you had Loki’s magic and he had managed to hide you. This time, there was no such luck, they had already spotted you and Loki together.

     “They're just doing their jobs, besides it’s not really a fair fight” you told him. You wanted to peak over the boulder to see something, anything that could help you, but you didn’t. 

     “They’re job is going to get us both killed, and what do you mean, it wouldn’t be a fair fight?” Loki asked. 

     “You’re the crowned prince of Asgard, they can’t very well kill you” you told him as he rolled his eyes. Before he was able to argue with you, an arrow hit the tree beside you, centimeters away from Loki’s head. 

     “I don’t think that matters anymore” Loki told you as he pulled you from the ground. Just like that, you were running for your life once more. Your lungs burned as you fought to take in enough air. Your legs left like rubber but you were going on instinct now, unable to focus on anything other than surviving. 

     Loki was never out of sight though as he encouraged you to keep going. Unlike you, he didn’t seem affected at all by the uphill running. Sure, he was a little red in the cheeks and his breath was more ragged, but he didn’t stumble or complain at all. Must be all the training the princes would receive, you assumed anyway. 

     Loki stopped once more, spotting a cave entrance and turning sharply. You followed quickly and focused on where Loki was heading and what he was doing. Once in the cave, that became a little more difficult. The light was getting further and further away as you ran in, slowly down only slightly. The ground was wet, you could feel it start to soak your boots. 

     Before you were able to ask Loki what he was doing, you heard splashing. Soon the water was licking at your own skin and you paused just long enough to watch Loki dive into the water. You waited, unsure of what he was doing. You took this time to look around, the cave was dark so you couldn’t be sure where the lining of the cave started and stopped, but it had definitely been getting narrower as you went further in. 

     “Come on” Loki’s voice whispered as soon as his head broke the surface. He was back under again before you could ask your questions so you took a deep breath and dived in. Cold was the first thing you noticed, the water was freezing. Loki grabbed your hand and you followed, hoping you didn’t run out of breath before you got to the surface. 

     An agonizing minute later, you were grasping for breath as you reached the surface. Your feet touched the ground and you managed to crawl out of the water while Loki took in the immediate surroundings. 

     “Can’t kill them, can’t use magic, if I found known you were going to be this difficult, I would have left you at the village” Loki grumbled and you rolled his eyes. 

     “I never said you couldn’t use magic, I said you couldn’t use it to travel. Valdor would sense it and would know we were coming before we ever got the chance to hit him” you grumbled back. 

     “Fine, am I okay to send a clone down the cave to see where it leads?” Loki asked and you nodded your head. 

     “A fire too would be nice” you added. A fire started in the middle of the cave, lighting everything up for a short distance. You could see the clone stalk off down the cave before Loki turned around. 

     “You’re shivering” Loki commented as you pulled yourself from the water. You looked up at him, only noticing in the light that he had changed. His blue skin was still wet, his red eyes pierced through the dark. 

     “No shit, the water is freezing” you complained. You looked away from him to stand up, trying to ring the water from your clothes. You opted to ignore Loki as he rustled around behind you, he had been cranky with you since you left the village and you were just about fed up with it. 

     “I’m sorry, alright?” Loki burst out. You chuckled and turned around, feeling the heat on your skin was a relief, so you moved closer to the fire. “I know I can be difficult, I don’t mean to take it out on you” Loki muttered. He moved closer to you and you noticed he was back to his normal color, and that his clothes were dry. 

     “That's not fair, dry me off too!” He laughed and did what you asked, the goosebumps went away and your teeth finally stopped chattering. 

     “Do you forgive me now?” You smiled up at him and kissed him, wrapping your arms around his neck. 

     “Of course,” you told admitted, you knew you wouldn’t be mad at him for very long. Loki took this moment to lift you off the ground and into his arms. You yelped in surprise as he sat on the ground, resting you in his lap. 

     “Are you going to comment on what you saw?” Loki asked, he didn’t have to go into detail for you to know what he meant. You rested your head on his shoulder. 

     “No” you replied simply. 

     “And why not?” Loki asked, he sounded quite skeptical of your answer. 

     “When you’re ready to tell me, you will” you answered. He kissed the top of your head as you closed your eyes. 

     "Get some rest darling” he told you. You nodded your head while curling yourself into him. You felt him kiss the top of your head. “I love you”. 

***

     Makon and Aleksia were able to break away from the shipment as soon as it entered the palace. Unfortunately, that was the only bit of luck they had. The palace was a lot larger than he had expected from the outside, and the rooms were in no set order. Trying to find Thor was going to be like finding a needle in an ornate haystack. 

     “This is impossible” Makon muttered. Aleksia tried using her nose, but the amount of people who were constantly in and out of the palace was making it difficult for her to get a scent. Somehow, they had managed to go in a circle, getting back to where they started. He wasn’t going to give up though, he had the easy task after all. 

     Aleksia led this time, as they both continued to try and find the eldest prince. They went a different way, a much noisier way and Makon was worried they would get caught. Again, it was as if they had no luck left. 

     “Who are you?” A voice made Makon jump and turn around. A blond man, just slightly taller than Makon was threatening him with a rather sharp sword. Aleksia growled, her pearly white teeth showing in a threatening manner. 

     “I got lost?” Makon tried, he never was a good liar. The man scoffed and shoved the sword closer to Makon’s throat. 

     “What’s the meaning of this?” Thor’s voice boomed as he came into view. 

     “I caught some intruders” the man told Thor. As soon as Thor was closer, he saw the wolf first, then Makon and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

     “Relax Fandral, their friends” Thor told him, pushing Fandral’s sword down. Come with me” Thor ordered. Makon and Aleksia shared a glance but followed the prince anyway. Thor brought them down several halls, all the while not meeting a single other person, Makon began to wondered where everyone was this late in the day. 

     Soon they got to a door that Thor threw opened, ushering them both inside quickly. Aleksia bounded in and ran onto the bed as soon as she could. She twirled around twice before settling down and curling in on herself to get comfortable. 

     “Should I even bother telling her to get off?” Thor asked, closing the door. He headed straight for a shelf to get two glasses and a large bottle filled with Makon could only assume was ale. 

     “Well you could try, but she doesn’t listen very well” Makon shrugged. Thor laughed and handed him a full glass. 

     “So, what are the two of you doing back here?” Thor sat down and Makon joined him, going straight into the story since Loki had come back to the village. Thor listened carefully, not interrupting, even when he got to the part about Valdor poisoning his mother. After he was finished, Makon took a large gulp full of ale and a deep breath. 

     “Loki will send word if they need backup?” Thor asked and Makon nodded so quickly his neck hurt. “Very well, then you and the wolf will stay here as my guests until we hear back from him” Thor decided. 

     “That wasn’t really the plan” Makon mumbled. 

     “Oh, was there more?” Thor asked, wondering if he had missed part of the story. 

     “Well, it wasn’t really discussed” Makon thought back, but they hadn’t mentioned what he should do after he found Thor. If he went back to the village, he would assume his post as guard. If he stayed here, well he wasn’t sure what he would do. 

     “Then it’s settled, you and the wolf will stay here with me until we hear from (Y/N) and my brother!” Thor announced, taking the decision out of Makon's hands, after all, who says no to a prince?


End file.
